Mr. William Goddard:
Sir,
As the Publication
under the Signature of the Connecticut
Landholder is circulating remote from the place of Mr. Gerry's
residence, and is calculated not only to injure the honourable
gentleman in his private character, but also to weaken the effect
of his opposition to the government proposed by the late convention,
and thereby promote the adoption of a System which I consider
destructive of the rights and liberties of the respective states
and of their citizens, I beg leave, through the channel of your
Paper, to declare to the Public that from the time I took my seat
in convention, which was early in June, until the fourth day of
September, when I left Philadelphia, I am satisfied I was not
ten minutes absent from convention while sitting (excepting only
five days in the beginning of August, immediately after the committee
of detail had reported, during which but little business was
done). That during my attendance I never heard Mr. Gerry or
any other member introduce a proposition for the redemption of
continental money according to its nominal or any other value,
nor did I ever hear that such a proposition had been offered to
consideration or had been thought of. I was intimate with Mr.
Gerry, and never heard him express, in private conversation or
otherwise, a wish for the redemption of continental money, or
assign the want of such a provision as a defect. Nor did I ever
hear in Convention, or anywhere else, such a motive of conduct
attributed to Mr. Gerry.
I also declare to the Public that a considerable
time before I left the convention Mr. Gerry's opposition
to the System was warm and decided; that in a particular manner
he strenuously opposed that provision by which the power
and authority over the militia is taken away from the States and
given to the general government; that in the debate he declared
if that measure was adopted it would be the most convincing
proof that the destruction of the State governments and the introduction
of a king was designed, and that no declarations to
the contrary ought to be credited, since it was giving the states
the last coup de grace by taking from them the only means of
self preservation. The conduct of the advocates and framers of
this system towards the thirteen States, in pretending that it was
designed for their advantage, and gradually obtaining power after
power to the general government, which could not but end in
their slavery, he compared to the conduct of a number of jockeys
who had thirteen young colts to break; they begin with the appearance
of kindness, giving them a lock of hay, or a handful of
oats, and streaking them while they eat, until being rendered sufficiently
gentle they suffer a halter to be put round their necks;
obtaining a further degree of their confidence, the jockeys slip a
curb bridle on their heads and the bit into their mouths, after
which the saddle follows of course, and well booted and spurred,
with good whips in their hands, they mount and ride them at
their pleasure, and although they may kick and flounce a little at
first, nor being able to get rid of their riders, they soon become
as tame and passive as their masters could wish them.
In the
course of public debate in the convention Mr. Gerry applied to
the system of government, as then under discussion, the words of
Pope with respect to vice, “that it was a monster of such horrid
mien, as to be hated need but to be seen.” And some time before
I left Philadelphia, he in the same public manner declared in
convention that he should consider himself a traitor to his country
if he did not oppose the system there, and also when he left
the convention. These, sir, are facts which I do not fear being
contradicted by any member of the convention, and will, I apprehend,
satisfactorily shew that Mr. Gerry's opposition proceeded
from a conviction in his own mind that the government, if
adopted, would terminate in the destruction of the States and in
the introduction of a kingly government.
I am, sir, your very obedient servant,
Luther Martin.
Baltimore, January 13,1788.
